About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 2025)
» Your hometown newspaper since 1861 The Eatonton Alessenger THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025 | C5 For Heaven Ssake Mike Morgan 5 C 2 , a la WHY DO YOU ASK %THAT? IS YOUR TWIN SISTER PLAYING HANDBELLS .IN HEAVEN NOW, JMS. LYDIA? I HEAR SHE'S A "DEAD . RINGER." God bless our military Our friend, Levi Bowman, is a scion of the multi-awarded Isaacs who are famous for their blood harmony in their bluegrass gospel group. His mother is Becky Isaacs Bowman. The Isaacs are the ONLY gospel group to be members of the respected Grand Ole Opry. Recently, Tink and I stood back- stage and watched Becky, sister Sonya, brother Ben, and Mama Lily sing a cappella. I stood with Ben’s wife, Mindy, and Gunnar Nelson, also a scion of family harmony. Tink was over to the side, standing by Opry legend Ricky Skaggs and his talented wife, Sharon. Though we were only steps away from them on stage, we watched them on a large monitor. No one moved. Breath came quietly. When they finished, they brought the house down. Skaggs shook his head and said to Sharon, “Remarkable.” About a month ago, Levi joined the group on stage. He is a towering presence - he wears a size 13 shoe - but he is kind, amiable, talented, and God-loving. Above all, this young man, in his early 20s, is patriotic with a capital “P.” That night, he introduced the song that he would sing with a pleasant, smooth voice by saying, “Merle Haggard wasn’t a member of the Grand Ole Opry but I’m gonna sing a song he wrote in the 1960s." Then he dedicated it to all the service folks serving now or who had served. Haggard wrote the song during the civil uprisings over the Vietnam war. He stood up for the military, saying “they’re walkin’ on Dixie Divas Ronda Rich the fighting side of me. Running down a way of life our fighting men have fought and died to keep.” Though I had heard that song hundreds of times, Levi’s version made me stop and seriously consider how mighty our military is and the sad shape we’d be in without our soldiers, sailors, and pilots. From a book called The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson, I gained tremendous admiration for how the small island of England fought back the Germans for two years during World War II until America joined the war. Germany had been training pilots for 20 years since the end of World War I. England’s pilots aver aged 21 years old, yet they won almost every battle they fought. Levi’s singing probably hit me harder because Tink and I had just been to Bay Minette, Alabama, for the 100th year cele bration of the birth of Mr. Berlin Sims. He died five years ago and I went to the funeral. In this little South Alabama town, I discovered that this man - a World War II hero - was the most admired person in town. People stood in line for over an hour to pay their respects. Mr. Sims, whose son Terry is our friend because he worked with Mary Tyler Moore for almost 30 years, served in the South Pacific with the Navy. When the war was over, he joined the Army as a very effective recruiter. The Sims family gath ered to celebrate the beloved man with his widowed wife, Linda, hosting us at her house. Through the kitchen door came every kind of casse role, pie, or cake possible. After many had left, Terry’s cousin, Robert, and his wife lingered. Robert told of Mr. Sims’ brother, Curtis, a soldier who had landed on the beaches of Normandy. He was badly wounded almost immediately. He died three days later. Robert found a faded photo of the hero encased in an ornate, oval frame. Imagine what their mother lived through during those years. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., an old man at 56 years because of injuries from World War I, insisted on leading troops that landed on Utah Beach. Roosevelt, using a walking cane, carried a pistol and stood bravely on the beach. One month later, he was promoted to two-star Major General. He died of a heart attack a few hours afterwards. To all our military, we patriots thank you. Ronda Rich is the best- selling author of A Merry Chatty Christmas. Please visit www.rondarich. com to sign up for her free newsletter and purchase personalized copies. 2 3 5 6 8 9 10 13 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 46 44 45 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 CLUES ACROSS 1. Difficult 5. Coarsely ground corn 9. There's one for the "world" 11. Loved Romeo 13. Sticky situation 15. Pelvic areas 16. An informal debt instrument 17. Cannot be repaired surgically 19. A device attached to a workbench 21. Related on the mother's side 22. Sound unit 23. Sagan, astronomer 25. Utah city 26. A disappointing effort 27. Steal goods during a riot 29. Wakes up 31. Hair salon service 33. Serenaded 34. Looked intensely 36. U.S. Air Force expert Robert F. 38. A type of cast 39. One's duty 41. Where golfers begin 43. Make a mistake 44. Semitic sun god 46. Ancient Greek City 48. Having had the head cut off 52. A place to stay 53. Unwise 54. Most unnatural 56. Dennis is a notable one 57. Ointments 58. Students' exam 59. Leaked blood CLUES DOWN 1. Brave 2. Act of awakening 3. Jest at 4. Sandwich store 5. Chapter of the Koran 6. Dismounted 7. Small vehicle 8. Irked 9. One who earns by disreputable dealings 10. Monetary unit of Samoa 11. Long, mournful lamentation 12. Weight unit 14. Alone, single 15. Decreases 18. Indicates beside 20. Worn by exposure to the weather 24. A body of traditions 26. College students' ultimate goal 28. Amino acid 30. Nasal mucus 32. US government entity 34. Swinish 35. Legislative body in Russia 37. Grant an exemption to 38. Put in advance 40. Satisfy 42. Felt 43. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls 45. Witnesses 47. Picnic invaders 49. Gasteyer and de Armas are two 50. Ancient person of Scotland 51. Cheerless 55. Unwell SEE PUZZLE ANSWERS » PAGE B2 The ^Eatonton essenger Support local journalism msgrnews.com — 706-485-3501 READ BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AND SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER AT LAKEOCONEENEWS.US LOCAL MATTERS ill 706.485.3501 and ask to advertise on the Worship Page, today! BYTERI 7 Q X GREENSBORO, GEORGIA We are a Christ-centered, mission minded church with traditional worship eager to include you in our church family. Pastor Meg Jackson Clark Website - fpog.org Phone: 706-453-4956 a PC(USA) Church Sunday Scripture Study - 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Service - 11:00 a.m. First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro 117 South Main Street, Greensboro, Georgia (next to the Post Office in downtown Greensboro) Lake Oconee Lutheran Church A Stephen Ministry Congregation All Are Welcome 2 Sunday Bible Study e 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. Pastor Steven Hayden ============ J 1 AL T3hT C 706-485-4600 Office LAKE OCONE L .. LUTHERAN CHURCH officelolc@gmail.com |www.lakeoconeelutheran.orgl CHURCH Wednesdays Sundays: 5:15 p.m. - Family Night Supper 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School Children & Adult Bible Study 10:50 a.m. - Worship Dr. Craig Williamson, Pastor First Baptist Church 115 Madison Avenue • Eatonton, Ga 706.485.3331 www.FirstBaptistfEatonton.orgl Episcopal Church 1089 Lake Oconee Parkway (Hwy 44) Located behind the Lake Oconee Lutheran Community Center Look for Christ and you will find him - and with Him, everything else. C.S. Lewis GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH Eatonton First Methodist Church 103 West Magnolia Street, Eatonton, GA 31024 706-485-5871 |www.eatontpnfmc.cnm1 Pastor David Wofford 405 North Jefferson Avenue Eatonton, Georgia Holy Communion at ten on Sunday morning Wednesday Night Activities Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. with bible study at 6:30 p.m. Sunday 8:45 a.m. Traditional Worship in Historic Sanctuary 10.00 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Casual Worship in Historic Sanctuary
